Johnson joins Allison in Daytona record book

Tuesday

Jul 9, 2013 at 12:12 AM

At Daytona International Speedway this past Saturday night, Jimmie Johnson collected his fourth win of 2013. He was so strong on the high banks of the 2.5-mile Florida track that few drivers could really challenge his superiority.

Ben White

At Daytona International Speedway this past Saturday night, Jimmie Johnson collected his fourth win of 2013. He was so strong on the high banks of the 2.5-mile Florida track that few drivers could really challenge his superiority. What makes the story remarkable is the fact all 43 cars carried restrictor plates on their engines, making them extremely equal in horsepower. Johnson seemed to have no problem pulling away whenever he decided it was time. "That is tough to do at a plate track, especially with how tight the rules are," Johnson said. "I think I showed strength early and a lot of the guys knew that and were willing to work with me, and kind of help me through situations, which is great. I don't know if I really made a bad move tonight. I'm pretty proud of that. (I) had a great horse to ride (and) got 'white lightening' to victory lane, which I'm very proud of."Johnson's win Saturday was very special for personal reasons, as he equaled an amazing statistic in Daytona's record book with his wins in both Daytona Sprint Cup races this season. Bobby Allison, the 1983 Winston Cup champion and winner of 85 NASCAR races during his career, was the last driver to sweep both races at Daytona in February and July of 1982. That's 31 years with different winners in those events. "That is amazing. Gosh, I remember being in Southern California watching Bobby Allison," Johnson said. "I remember where I was the day Davey (Allison) passed away. That is how much the Allison family meant to me. I always thought it was so great to watch Bobby and Davey race. To tie anything that Bobby has done is pretty special."Johnson first learned of Allison's trips to victory lane in 1982 just after being sprayed by champagne as he exited his Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. He was a fan in 1988 when Bobby won the 1988 Daytona 500 and suffered a near-fatal crash that same year at Pocono Raceway. "I didn't have the slightest clue to be honest with you," Johnson said about Allison's wins. "I always admired Bobby and Davey (Allison) and thought it was so cool that a father and son were on the racetrack racing against one another, and I remember watching the Daytona 500 where they duked it out (1988). Davey finished second to Bobby in the 500 in 1988 but, sadly, died in an off-track accident in 1993. "Some people remember where they were when Princess Diana passed away," Johnson said. "I know where I was, where I was standing, where I was working, I was working in an engine shop in Santee, California, when I heard on the radio that Davey crashed in a helicopter. I also know where I was when I heard that Bobby had his crash at Pocono."Johnson has also enjoyed a strong relationship with his father, Gary. They've spent quite a bit of time doing things before Johnson's NASCAR career began. "…I had a great relationship with my dad growing up from a racing standpoint and going to the local tracks and my dad was a guy that I looked at," Johnson said. "We'd go out in the desert and ride and he'd teach me things and teach me how to drive a car. So there's that connection that I had, that it would be cool to race against your dad."I never had that chance, that opportunity, but it helped me build a fondness for both of them, and to do anything that Bobby has done is really, really special." Allison spoke of many great victories he enjoyed at Daytona during his career. His first race at DIS was in 1961 while driving a Chevrolet owned by his brother-in-law Ralph Stark. Seventeen years passed before Allison finally won NASCAR's biggest race. As a result of the Pocono crash, Allison doesn't remember racing his son at Daytona in 1988. The track is still his favorite. "Daytona International Speedway is the world's greatest speedway," Allison said while at the track. "Racing here was always something exciting to look forward to. I won some 125-mile qualifying races and then won my first Daytona 500 in 1978 in Bud Moore's Ford. I won both races here in 1982 and won the Nationwide race and the 500 in 1988. I was also able to win three times on the road course here in the infield. Daytona has been very special to me in many, many different ways and still is."As was the case with the Allisons, Johnson has built a strong legacy at Daytona International Speedway, as well as on all other tracks on the Sprint Cup schedule. Considering the fact he is leading the Sprint Cup points standings and has eight top-fives and 12 top-10s including wins at Daytona, Martinsville and Pocono thus far this season, he's on a path to collect his sixth career championship since 2001. Johnson's strength at Daytona makes winning it a very real possibility. Ben White is a motorsports columnist for The Dispatch.